Mario Batali - Food as Pop Culture - Food Matters May 2016

Discovery in the 1980s that the bounty of great food in California could equal that of France and Italy and the explosion of the Food Network in the early 1990s pushed dinner from something done before an event (a game or the movies) to its place as one of the main happenings in our current pop culture.  This has changed the vision of the chef both by her customers and herself. 

Every new chef wants immediately to become a televised personality and the environment within restaurants has transformed, but "its a win-in that food has become pop culture" says Batali. The craft of cooking has and will continue to change our future for the better.

"If we want to make sure that the 21st century isn't a footnote to the 20th century - the American Century - Americans have to produce things with their hands, and that's what food is all about." The changes in food fuel changes in everything.

Batali commends the craftsmanship and diversity: "...you shouldn't just eat the same 12 things throughout the year. Going outside the box is intriguing and intellectually compelling as well as satisfying."

Read Mario Batali's interesting perspectives in his article: How Food became Pop Culture, Mario Batali on the evolution of dining and cooking, Lucky Peach, April 17, 2016